Barney wrote:I remember Tyne Dock YC, although I didn't go there very often.
I was chairman of the Council of Youth for a few years, and used to visit a lot of the yc's, like TD, St Hilda's, Horsely Hill CC, Biddick Hall (which I think had another name), the YMCA, and the Yellow Hut in Whiteleas.

TD was one of the newer buildings, so had good facilities.

Biddick Hall was called The Percy Hudson it was a new building quite good as i remember

Here's 2 pictures of Tyne Dock Youth Club, I'd not seen it for about 30 years and have been thinking about it a lot, I got a really weird feeling when I was there again today..had many a happy time there.
Sadly all the houses have gone except Taylor Street and a few in So Eldon Street and The Eldon Arms is obviously no more, but it makes the youth club look a bit isolated (remember the 2 Lollipopmen? one took you over to Barnes Rd school from the Eldon arms and one was further down near Gilbert Street

this one looking towards Barnes Road

Last edited by Babooshka on Thu Mar 15, 2007 11:21 am, edited 1 time in total.

Yeah it's strange but you could go there on a Sunday afternoon, watch the film with only enough money for a bag of crisps but you'd still be sooo happy, then there was a little disco afterwards, but I was always too shy to dance

Remember those psychedelic patterns the projector used to shine on the wall, soo funky

there used to be a band that practiced in one of the rooms in the Percy Hudson Can't remember their name i went there for a couple of years in the sixties, then i was introduced to Mr Mckewan in the Scotia and the rest as they say is history

The leader was John Reay (I worked with his wife at Tyne Chemical Company in River Drive). My wife played for his netball team, which was unbeaten for about five years. John was a perfectionist and demanded the same committment from the girls. My wife told me that many times after big wins they would leave the court feeling pretty good about themselves. John would point out their mistakes ensuring that complacency never crept in.

Someone in this thread mentioned 'The Bader Youth Club' in Beach Road, in the 1960s, well here is a photo taken in the club, of some mates, other members and me in 1961. I'm the one in the dark jacket and light pullover at the right. Some others in the photo are: Alan Peacock, Charlie Sibald, Billy Wilkinson and Peter Bianchi. I remember the cellar of the club being painted with Egyptian 'tomb' style paintings'.

Axeman also mentioned Jean Heilbron's dancing school, which was in West Avenue. I was an apprentice plumber at 'Hedley and Robertson's' further up the street, and Jean Heilbron was a customer of ours. She was one of the first of our customers to have a coloured bathroom suite installed (turquoise), which had to be specially ordered. We had to wait weeks for it to be delivered. In the meanwhile, Jean, (Miss Heilbron to me) had her bathroom walls covered in turquoise and black 'Vitralite', with scenes of ducks and reeds engraved into it - fabulous for the 1960's.

All was ready for the bathroom suite to be installed, and I went and got the barrow (remember apprentices pushing those ) and was loading the wash-basin and loo onto it. Unfortunately, the barrow tipped up (bad loading ) and most of it was smashed when it hit the ground. I still remember the feeling of dread when I had to tell the boss! All involved other than me are long dead, but the horror lives on

bcaerurfa wrote:The leader was John Reay (I worked with his wife at Tyne Chemical Company in River Drive). My wife played for his netball team, which was unbeaten for about five years. John was a perfectionist and demanded the same committment from the girls. My wife told me that many times after big wins they would leave the court feeling pretty good about themselves. John would point out their mistakes ensuring that complacency never crept in.

What year was this?

I worked with John Reay of the "North Street club" for several years at the Co-op Emporium Westoe Road, and visited his home regularly. I got to know his first wife and son very well
from these visits and also my many visits to the club.

Wise man talk because they have something to say,
fools talk because they have to say something.

I worked at Tyne Chemical Company from 1952 to 1964. His wife was called Ellen, that was in 1952. I do believe he did work at the Co-Op. What was the name of his first wife and son? I think he married Ellen in 1951.